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Public engagement

The UCL Neuroscience Domain is committed to engaging and involving the public and patient groups with our science.

Our neuroscientists take part in a wide variety of engagement activities, including delivering public lectures, hosting patient open days, collaborating in innovative art-science projects, visiting schools and specialist groups, and many more.

UCL neuroscientists, UCL staff/students, and members of the public

  • Do you have a great idea for a neuroscience public engagement project?
  • Would you like to collaborate on a project with a UCL neuroscientist?

UCL neuroscientists

  • Do you need help writing a public engagement grant or advice planning an event?
  • Do you need media/communications/public engagement training or advice?
  • Do you want to publicise your research?

If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions please contact the UCL Public Engagement team.

    Overview

    • What is public engagement?
    • Why is it important?
    • How do I get involved?
    • How can I fund my project?
    • How do I involve patients in my research?

    The resources listed below can help answer these questions and many more and offer invaluable advice aimed specifically at university researchers interested in taking part in public engagement activities.

    UCL Public Engagement

    Includes Toolkits for Engagement (practical advice about choosing the right type of activity for your audience, planning and evaluating your event etc)

    National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement

    Funded by the four UK Funding Councils, Research Councils UK and the Wellcome Trust the NCCPE helps inspire and support universities to engage with the public.

    UKRI Public Engagement

    Includes the Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research - a statement of expectations and responsibilities of research funders in the UK regarding public engagement

    Support with PPI for researchers

    The BRC supports researchers with patient and public involvement (PPI) and has a dedicated PPI manager. Support includes:

    Training

    They run workshops on PPI, including introductory sessions and sessions on setting up a patient group. We also run introductory sessions for patients and the public. Information about training workshops can be found on the Joint Research Office website.

    Bursaries

    They have a PPI bursary fund to help researchers carry out PPI. For more information go to the UCLH BRC Funding for Patient Involvement webpage.

    Advice

    Researchers can ask for advice by contacting the PPI manager Dr Rosamund Yu on Rosamund.yu@ucl.ac.uk or by writing to our helpdesk ppihelpdesk@ucl.ac.uk.

    Training

    British Science Association

    • Media fellowships
      These fellowships are intended to create greater awareness and understanding of the workings of the media among practising scientists, social scientists, clinicians and engineers. Scientists shadow journalists for a period of 3-8 weeks.

    The Royal Society

    • Pairing scheme
      Scientists are paired with either an MP or civil servant and the Royal Society supports them by arranging a 'Week in Westminster' and reciprocal visits.

    The Science Media Centre

    • The centre produces a variety of useful publications designed specifically with scientists in mind, including How Science Works (pocket-sized guides for scientists that list effective ways of talking within the context of a short interview about generic issues that span all sciences) and Top Tips for Media Work.

    Wellcome Trust

    • Public engagement training
      The Wellcome Trust run an annual Public Engagement Masterclass in partnership with the Wellcome Genome campus for new principal investigators and other mid-career researchers from all disciplines. It helps researchers to be proactive and develop their own public engagement plans. Masterclasses take place in July each year. Wellcome-funded researchers can request a bursary to attend for free.

    Funding

    Royal Society Partnership Grants

    • Royal Society Partnership Grants
      Up to £3,000 for science projects run at a primary or secondary school or college in partnership with a professional scientist or engineer.

    Wellcome Trust Public Engagement Awards

    • The Hub Award
      The Hub Award brings researchers and creative professionals together at Wellcome Collection to work as a collaborative residency. Up to £1million of flexible funding over 1-2years.
    • Research Enrichment – Public Engagement
      Between £10k-£250k to support Wellcome grantholders who want to use public insights to develop their research.
    • Research Enrichment – Diversity and Inclusion
      Up to £20k in funding to enable Wellcome grantholders to identify and tackle barriers to diversity and inclusion in their work.

    UCL Public Engagement Funding

    The Public Engagement Unit helps UCL staff and research students find funding from external organisations for projects that will make groups outside the University more involved in UCL research and teaching.

    They also run three funding streams to promote innovation in public engagement activity across UCL, and to support UCL staff and students to share their research outside of the university environment.